Organizational learning in student affairs: The role of leadership and culture in fostering learning

Higher education has been scrutinized and called to make changes that would lead to increased transparency and more accountability. Student affairs organizations are not immune to this same type of criticism (Woodard, Love & Komives, 2000). Student affairs plays a supporting role within the larger higher education organization and is vital to the fulfillment of the mission of higher education. But often times, due to a lack of clear roles or understanding, student affairs can be the target of external criticism. It is essential for student affairs organizations to function at the highest level to fulfill the greater purpose of higher education. Organizational learning can move an organization towards continuous quality improvement. The process of how learning occurs within higher education has not yet been explored (Kezar, 2005). This dissertation is a qualitative research study in higher education administration, with a focus on student affairs. The purpose was to explore the strategies implemented by leaders to foster organizational learning and the extent to which they lead to continuous quality improvement. However, multiple factors influence the extent to which an organization can learn, which include: organizational history and culture, leadership style, external environment, and the use of data to make decisions. This study examines a leader\u27s efforts at one institution to create learning and the interaction of these factors on those efforts